Skip to main content

​
retrieve_evidence

Searches the raw conversation history using 7-message sliding windows. Returns original conversation text — not synthesized summaries. This is the tool to use when you need the exact wording from a past conversation.

​
Parameters

ParameterTypeRequiredDefaultDescription
querystringYes—Search term or semantic concept to find
limitintegerNo5Max windows to return

​
Read-only

Yes. This tool only reads from your memory.

​
Example usage

{
  "query": "database migration strategy"
}

{
  "query": "the exact error message from the deploy",
  "limit": 10
}

​
When to use

  • You need exact quotes from a past conversation
  • You need code snippets that were shared in a previous session
  • You need raw historical context that hasn’t been distilled into entities yet
  • You want to verify the original wording of a decision or statement
Prefer ask_question or memory_search for general queries. retrieve_evidence is the last resort in the tool priority chain — use it only when you need the original wording, not a summary.

​
How it works

BaseLayer stores raw conversation history and indexes it for semantic search. Results come back as 7-message windows centered around the matching content, giving you enough surrounding context to understand the match.
The 7-message window means you’ll see a few messages before and after the match. This is intentional — context around a quote is often as important as the quote itself.